Morphology, ultrastructure, genetics, and morphometrics of Diplostomum sp (Digenea: Diplostomidae) metacercariae infecting the European flounder, Platichthys flesus (L.) (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae), off the northwest coast of Portugal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Francisca I Cavaleiro (Author) Other; Susana Pina (Author) Other; Fernanda Russell Pinto (Author) Other; Pedro Rodrigues (Author) ICBAS; Nuno E Formigo (Author) FCUP; David I Gibson (Author) Other; Maria J Santos (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Parasitology Research

Vol. 110

Pages: 81-93

ISSN: 0932-0113

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 34 Citations

Scopus - 22 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-H5N

DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2453-x

Abstract (EN): The morphology, ultrastructure, genetics, and morphometrics of a species of Diplostomum von Nordmann 1832 (Digenea: Diplostomidae), isolated from the European flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)) caught off the northwest coast of Portugal, are characterized. The metacercarial stage was found unencysted in the lens capsule of the eye. Light microscopical observations revealed the existence of some variability in specimen shape and size, with two morphotypes, referred to as "round" and "long", being apparent. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a smooth, unarmed tegument, with the lappet region being the most irregular and porose. Both the oral and ventral suckers were provided with a series of papillae, which presented very distinctive ultrastructural features and were particularly conspicuous in the case of the ventral sucker. The two morphotypes detected were found to have 100% genetic correspondence in the 18S+ITS1+5.8S region of the rDNA. Since the genetic data for this metacercaria differed from those of the species of Diplostomum available in GenBank, a description of a new genotype (accession number GQ370809) is provided. The molecular phylogenetic analyses, in conjunction with principal components and cluster analyses based on morphometric data, revealed the existence of consistent differences between the Diplostomum sp. metacercariae from flounder compared with Diplostomum spathaceum, Diplostomum mergi, Diplostomum pseudospathaceum, and Diplostomum paracaudum. The latter of these species was found to be the most similar to the present material. Our results do not support an evolutionary separation of the European and North American species of Diplostomum.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13